CME Group is seeing explosive growth in its crypto derivatives business, with rising institutional and retail participation driving a 132% year-over-year increase in average daily volume and an 82% jump in open interest.
On November 21, the exchange set a new record for single-day trading activity, with 794,903 cryptocurrency futures and options contracts changing hands. The new peak, surpassing the prior high set in August, underscores how market turbulence is fueling demand for regulated crypto hedging tools.
Activity across CME’s crypto products has been climbing throughout 2025. Giovanni Vicioso, the firm’s global head of cryptocurrency products, said the trend highlights the growing importance of risk-management solutions in a volatile environment.
“Amid ongoing market uncertainty, demand for deeply liquid, regulated crypto risk management tools is accelerating,” Vicioso said.
CME’s futures and options contracts are tied to major digital assets such as bitcoin (BTC) and ether (ETH), giving traders a way to hedge volatility or speculate on price movements without directly owning the underlying tokens. For example, a fund anticipating a pullback in bitcoin can short CME futures to help offset declines in its spot exposure.
Year-to-date, CME’s crypto average daily volume has risen to 270,900 contracts, equivalent to $12 billion in notional value—up 132% versus the same period last year. Open interest now stands at 299,700 contracts, totaling $26.6 billion in notional terms, marking an 82% annual increase.
The momentum is even stronger in the fourth quarter. Average daily volume for Q4 has climbed 106% year-over-year to 403,200 contracts, representing $14.2 billion in notional value. Open interest has surged 117% over the same period, reaching 493,700 contracts valued at $35.4 billion.
The surge signals growing confidence in regulated crypto derivatives as investors seek stable, institution-grade access to the market. CME Group, which debuted bitcoin futures in 2017, continues to expand its offerings to keep pace with escalating demand.
